Adjustable feed table for rolled sheet stock



April 8, 1952 B. E. ROCKHOFF ADJUSTABLE FEED TABLE FOR ROLLED SHEET STOCK Filed Feb. 16, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. BERT ELROQKHQFF ATTORNEYS April 8, 1952 B. E. ROCKHOFF ADJUSTABLE FEED TABLE FOR ROLLED SHEET STOCK 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Feb. 16, 1948 INVENTOR.

BERT E.R0CKHOFF Patented Apr. 8, 1952 ADJUSTABLE FEED TABLE FOR ROLLED SHEET STOCK Bert E. Rockhofi, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., assignor to Detroit Steel Products Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application February 16, 1948, Serial No. 8,716

The present invention relates to an adjustable feed table for rolled sheet stock.

In the fabrication of material from rolled sheet metal stock it is possible to provide for a continuous operation in which sheet metal is supplied in a continuous roll and is advanced by continuous means through suitable forming devices, such for example as rolls, after which the formed sheet material may be severed into desired lengths by suitable mechanism,'such for example as flying shears. In order for this continuous and rapid method of fabrication to be completely satisfactory, it is desirable to provide mechanism for insuring lateral alignment between the continuously advancing sheet material and the forming mechanism. In the past, the necessity for accurate registry between the sheet material and the forming rolls was in part avoided by providing the sheet material of extra width so that minor misalignment would not necessarily be a serious defect. This, however, results in a waste of material, and furthermore, it is not always possible to provide extra width without the necessity of a subsequent trimming operation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for effecting lateral or transverse adjustment of continuous sheet material while the sheet material is advanced.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adjustable supporting table which is universally adjustable in a substantially horizontal plane, the table including elements for guidingly engaging and supporting the strip or sheet material.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide an adjustable table comprising a strip or sheet engaging trough which is mounted for angular adjustment about a substantially vertical axis located adjacent to the entrance and the exit end thereof.

It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a table of the character described comprising a platform including means for effecting bodily transverse adjustment and angular adjustment about a pair of widely separate substantially vertical axes, the table being constructed and arranged to provide for the said adjustments during continuous advance of strip or feed material thereover.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of apparatus for forming rolled sheet or strip material including the adjustable feed table which forms the subject matter of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of the feedtable shown in Figure 1; V

11 Claims. (Cl. 2712.6)

Figure 3 is a plan view of the feed table shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse section of the feed table taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of a table adjusting hand wheel, with parts broken away;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-5, Figure 5;

Figure 'l is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a hand wheel for adjusting the side plates on the table;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 88, Figure '7;

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section of one of the pivot supports for the platform taken on the line 99, Figure 3; and

Figure 10 is a section on the line l9-Hl, Figure 9.

Referring now to the drawings, in Figure 1 there is shown at It a continuous roll of sheet or strip material S, the roll being carried by a suitable support indicated at H. The strip material from the roll I0 is advanced over the adjustable feed table indicated generally at 2i) and thence to a plurality of forming rolls indicated generally at 2!. After passing through the forming rolls in which the cross section of the continuous material is shaped to the desired form, it advances further to a suitable cut-off mechanism, such for example as flying shears, diagrammatically indicated at 22.

In this operation, the problem is presented of advancing the continuous strip material in accurate registry or alignment with the forming rolls 2|. It is highly desirable that this accuracy of registration or alignment be maintained during continuous operation of the apparatus, or in other words, without arresting the advance of the continuous material from the roll It).

For this purpose, the adjustable feed table is provided, details of which are shown in the remaining figures. Referring now to these figures, the table comprises generally a stationary frame 39 which, as shown, comprises legs 31, 32 and a top portion 33. In Figure 2 the top portion 33 is illustrated as slightly inclined to the horizontal, but this is not necessary, and if preferred, the top 33 of the frame may be horizontal.

At one end of the top 33 of the frame are brackets 34 which provide a support for pivot rod 35 on which is mounted the tilting frame 36. At the opposite end of the frame 35 from the pivot connection are apertured legs 31 by means of which the inclination of the tilting frame 36 may be varied. For this purpose, suitable pins .I 33 may pass through preselected holes in the apertured legs 3i and into corresponding openings formed in the top 33. As illustrated in Figure 2, the strip material is advancing from right to left and, accordingly, it will be observed that the tilting frame is inclined downwardly toward the discharge end of the device. Again it may be noted that while means are provided for varying the inclination from the horizontal of the frame 36, this frame in use may be horizontal.

As best seen in Figures 3, 4 and 10, the tilting frame 36 comprises longitudinal angle irons 40 and transverse angle irons 4|, which may if desired be suitably reinforced, and which together constitute a support on which a guide trough 50 is adjustably mounted.

The guide trough is composed of longitudinally extending channel irons 5|, a longitudinally extending angle iron 52, and a second longitudinally extending angle iron 53. Means are provided for supporting and transversely shifting the sheet material and these means comprise fiat longitudinally extending wear plates 54, a side wear plate 55 bolted or otherwise secured to the angle iron 53, and an adjustable wear plate 56 bolted or otherwise secured to an adjustable angle iron 51.

The parts just described are interconnected by a plurality of transverse channels 58 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the adjacent ones of the longitudinally extending structural members.

Means are provided for effecting adjustment of the guide trough and for effecting relative movement between the side wear plates 55 and 56 so as to accommodate strip material of difierent widths. Referring first to Figures 5 and 6, there is illustrated means for effecting adjustment of the guide trough assembly 50. This means comprises a screw 66 cooperating with a threaded block or nut 6| which is welded or otherwise secured to one of the transverse chamiel irons 58. Hand wheel 62 is provided for rotating the screw and the screw is held against longitudinal movement by bearings 63 pinned or otherwise secured to screw shaft 60 as by pins 64. Bearings 63 are located at opposite sides of one flange of the supporting angle bracket 65. As best seen in Figure 3, one of the hand wheels 62 and associated mechanism is provided adjacent each end of the guide trough 50. As will be apparent, rotation of the hand wheel 62 will result in transverse movement of the corresponding end of the guide trough 50.

To accommodate movement of one end of the guide trough 50 while the other end remains substantially stationary, special means are provided which are best illustrated in Figures 9 and 10. This means comprises a cylindrical slotted bearing 10 which is carried by the guide trough 50 through the medium of a pair of yokes H and T2, and threaded securing means for retaining the cylindrical bearing 10 associated therewith by a yoke at 13. The yoke H is supported between short channel irons l4 and 15, whichin turn, extend between an adjacent pair of transverse channels 58. The transverse angle irons 4| of the tilting frame 36 includes a flange 16, the free edge of which extends between the flanges I1 and 18 which define a guide groove or recess 19 formed in the cylindrical bearing member 10. This arrangement permits transverse sliding movement of the guide trough if both of the hand wheels 62' are manipulated simultaneously in the same direction. However, if only one of the hand wheels 62 is manipulated, the adjustment of the guide trough 50 is in effect an angular adjustment about a vertical axis located at the opposite end of the guide trough from the hand wheel being manipulated.

The. screw 60 and nut 6| are formed with 4 threads sufliciently loose to permit slight misalignment, and in any event the amount of angular adjustment required to keep the strips in desired positions is very small.

In like manner, it will be obvious that if both hand wheels 62 are rotated in the same direction simultaneously, the effect will be to shift the guide trough 50 laterally of the tilting frame 36. Furthermore, if one of the hand wheels 62 is rotated in one direction while the other hand wheel 62 is rotated in the opposite direction, the effect will be to shift opposite ends of the guide trough 56 in opposite directions. This is equivalent to effecting an angular adjustment of the guide trough 50 about a vertical axis which is located substantially midway between the ends of the guide trough. Finally, if the hand wheels 62 are rotated different amounts in opposite directions, the effect will be to provide an angular adjustment of the guide trough 50 about a vertical axis which is located substantially nearer one end thereof than the other.

While the apparatus is in operation and the continuous sheet or strip material is advancing over the table, it may be adjusted laterally relative to the forming rolls 2| by appropriate adjustment of the hand wheels 62.

In order to accommodate sheet or strip material of different Width, means are provided for effecting relative approach or separation between the wear strips 55 and 56. For this purpose, the wear strip 56 is mounted on an angle iron 51 which is laterally adjustable relatively to the guide trough 50. The mechanism for accomplishing this adjustment is best illustrated in Figures '7 and 8. As seen in these figures, hand wheel is provided, which is pinned or otherwise secured to a threaded shaft 86 to which in turn are pinned abutment collars 81 and 88 which are located at opposite sides of the vertical flange 89 of the longitudinally extending angle iron 52. The angle iron 51 which carries the wear plate 56 has bolted thereto a threaded block 90 which receives the free end of the threaded shaft 86. Accordingly, rotation of the hand wheel 85 will cause angle iron 51 and wear plate 56 to move transversely of the guide trough 50. By means of this adjustment, separation between wear plates 56 and 51 may be set to correspond to a particular width of sheet material. After the wear plates 55 and 56 have been adjusted to the desired width, the guide trough 50, as a whole, may be adjusted transversely to center wear plates 55 and 56 with respect to the strip of continuous sheet material.

The present invention is useful with stripping or sheet material of any nature but it was particularly designed for use with rolled sheet steel.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the adjustable feed table for rolled sheet stock in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A strip guide for use between rolled metal strip and a forming device adapted to form continuously advancing strip, said guide comprising a stationary support, a continuous rigid guide trough on said support, independently operable adjusting means adjacent each end of said guide trough extending between said support and said guide trough and effective to provide for relative lateral adjustment between said support and said guide trough, and relatively slidable means operatively connected to the ends of said guide trough and said support interfitting to permit lateral sliding movement of the ends of said guide trough on said support while preventing relative longitudinal movement and separation between said support and said guide trough.

2. A strip guide as defined in claim 1 in which said interfitting means each comprises a horizontally extending transverse strip and a slotted bearing, each of said strips being received within the slot of its respective bearing.

3. A strip guide for use between a supply of rolled metal strip and forming device adapted to form continuously advancing strip, said guide comprising a trough, a support for said trough, means between said support and trough preventing movement of said trough in the direction of its length on said support while permitting movement of said trough transverse to its length, and means intermediate said support and said trough for selectively adjusting said support as a unit about any axis extending perpendicular to the bottom of said trough and occupying the center line from the entrance end to the exit end of said trough, said last means comprising independently operable devices adjacent each end of said trough operatively connected between said frame and said trough to effect transverse movement of the corresponding end of said trough on said frame.

4. An adjustable feed table comprising a frame, an elongated guide trough slidably mounted on said frame through which continuous strip material is drawn, connecting means between said frame and trough effective to retain said trough on said frame, to prevent longitudinal sliding of said trough, to permit transverse sliding of said trough on said frame, and to permit rocking of said trough about an axis perpendicular to its bottom, and adjusting means adjacent each end of said trough extending transversely between said frame and trough, each of said adjusting means being independently operable to adjust either end of said trough transversely of said frame or to adjust both ends of said trough simultaneously in either the same or opposite directions.

5. A feed table as defined in claim 4 in which said connecting means comprises a pair of members located adjacent opposite ends of said trough, the members of each pair being respectively connected to said frame and said trough, one member of each pair comprising a transverse member and the other member of each pair comprising a bearing member slidable along said transverse member, one of the members of each pair including spaced parts engaging the other member of the pair at the side adjacent and the side opposite to said frame to prevent lifting of said trough from said frame, the members of each pair including abutment surfaces preventing sliding of said trough on said frame in the direction of its length, the pair of members at one end being disposed to prevent longitudinal sliding of said trough in one direction and the pair of members at the opposite end being disposed to prevent longitudinal sliding of said trough in the opposite direction.

6. A feed table as defined in claim 5 in which said transverse members each hav a horizontal flange, and said bearing members each comprise spaced flanges respectively above and below the flange on said transverse member, and an abut- 6 ment surface intermediate said spaced flanges engageable with the edge of the flange on said transverse member.

7. A feed table as defined in claim 6, said bearing member comprising a generally spool-shaped body of circular cross-section.

8. A feed table as defined in claim 4 in which said adjusting means each comprises an adjusting screw and nut connected between said frame and trough with the axis of said screw generally perpendicular to the length of said trough and generally parallel to the bottom of said trough, said adjusting means being constructed and arranged to provide for limited swinging in a plane parallel to the bottom of said trough.

9. An adjustable feed table comprising a frame, a guide trough, a pivotal bearing connecting the guide trough to the frame, adjusting members adjustably connecting the guide trough to the frame located adjacent each end of one side of the frame, said pivotal bearing having a rigid connection and a sliding pivotal connection between the guide trough and the frame and said adjusting members having an adjustable pivot connection between the guide trough and the frame.

10. An adjustable feed table comprising a frame, a guide trough, pivotal bearings connect ing the guide trough to the frame located adjacent each end of the frame, adjusting members adjustably connecting the guide trough to the frame located adjacent each end of one side of the frame, said pivotal bearings having a rigid connection and a sliding pivotal connection between the guide trough and the frame and said adjusting members having a rigid bearing connection and an adjustable pivot connection between the guide trough and the frame.

11. An adjustable feed table comprising a frame, an elongated guide trough having a flat bottom and side walls, said trough being slidable on said frame in a plane parallel to its flat bottom, bearing means connecting said trough to said frame, said bearing means comprising pivotal connections providing for rocking of said trough about an axis perpendicular to its bottom, and rigid connections preventing raising of said trough from said frame and sliding of said trough in the direction of its length on said frame, and sliding connections providing for sliding of said trough in the direction perpendicular to its length on said frame, and independent adjusting devices adjacent opposite ends of said trough connected between said frame and trough to effect independent transverse adjustment of the ends of said trough on said frame.

BERT E. ROCKHOFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 725,157 Sheldon Apr. 14, 1903 1,258,731 Yingling Mar. 12, 1918 1,566,441 smothers Dec. 22, 1925 1,700,099 Shively Jan. 22, 1929 1,782,618 Jauch Nov. 25, 1930 2,002,096 McCann May 21, 1935 2,158,027 Bulford May 9, 1939 2,250,530 Hafecost July 29, 1941 2,365,322 Ashworth Dec. 19, 194% 

